Long-time Garland fan Sam Smith says; “When I was 17 years old I did a project on Judy Garland for my Film Studies A-Level. I was immediately immersed into the magic of Judy and her incredibly brave and triumphant story. She has remained as one of the icons of my life. She was one of the bravest humans out there and her vulnerability and honesty in her art still gives me goose bumps like it did the first time. It was truly an honour to sing with Renée. Nobody could have played Judy as well as Renée, and it is a career highlight for me to be singing with her, and in some small way, with Judy. I hope everyone loves the film as much as I did.”

Set for global release by Decca (the singer’s original label) on 27th September 2019, ‘JUDY’ the album marks 50 years since Judy Garland’s premature death in 1969, and 80 years since she shot to teenage stardom in The Wizard of Oz in 1939.

Also making an appearance on the album with Renée is actor Rufus Wainwright, as they collaborate on ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’.

Speaking of Garland, Wainwright exclaims; “Judy Garland has been a constant force in my life. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was one of the pyramids of culture that I gazed at as a small child. It’s nice to come back and observe her again in the film and through this wonderful duet with Renée, her performance is astounding in a film that focuses on the love and the generosity that Judy always had for the world around her. It reminds me of how unique her life and art were.”​​​